A stochastic model of the formation and survival of lunar craters
1966; Elsevier BV; Volume: 5; Issue: 1-6 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/0019-1035(66)90074-1
ISSN1090-2643
Autores Tópico(s)Space Science and Extraterrestrial Life
ResumoApproximate upper and lower bounds are obtained for the expected number density of lunar craters by means of a model which takes into account the formation of primary and secondary craters and the destruction of craters by obliteration and filling. Some numerical examples considered are relevant to primary and secondary craters formed by meteoroidal impacts. Predicted number densities are compared with crater-diameter distributions from photographs taken by the Ranger 7 spacecraft. The shape of the observed distribution is the same as that of the predicted distribution, but the observed density of small craters is about 15 times larger than that predicted by analogy with terrestrial explosion craters. If the observed excess in real, then either some primary craters produce an unusually large number of secondaries, or else many of the smaller lunar craters are of internal origin. The excess may be explained in part by incompleteness of secondary crater counts for terrestrial explosion craters upon which the model functions are based.
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